QUILT INDEX RECORD
15-11-993
Where are the records for this quilt housed?
Wisconsin Quilt History Project
Who documented this quilt?
Wisconsin Quilt History Project
Wisconsin Quilt History Project Number:
140
Person filling out this form is:
Blood relative of quiltmaker; Quilt owner; Other
Source of the information on this quilt:
Great- granddaughter of quilt maker
When was the form filled out?
10-15-1988
Choose the best description of the source to the quilt:
Quilt owner
If you are the quilt owner, how did you acquire this quilt?
Inherited
Interviewer:
Mac Quee, N.
Where was the quilt documentation day held?
Cedarburg Cultural Center
This is a:
Finished quilt
Names for quilt's pattern in common use:
Morning Star, Six Pointed Star
Brackman # or other source & #:
427
How wide is the quilt?
69 in.
How long is the quilt?
75 in.
Shape of edge:
Straight
Shape of corners:
Straight
What color is the quilt?
Blue or Navy; Burgundy; Gray; Green; Lavender; Pink; Red; White; Yellow
Overall color scheme:
Multicolor
Quilt's condition:
Good/moderate use
Describe the damage:
Worn
Time period:
1930-1949
Family/owner's date for quilt:
1930's
Further information concerning dates:
Mrs. Aaron was approximately 70 years of age when she made the quilt.
Describe the quilt's layout:
Other
Spacing of quilt blocks:
Other
Describe the quilt setting:
6-pointed stars separated by white solid/plain hexagons.
Number of different block patterns used in the quilt:
1
What is the shape of the quilt blocks?
Diamonds; Hexagons
Fiber types used to make the quilt top:
Cotton
Fabric types used to make the quilt top:
Broadcloth
Fabric styles used in the quilt top:
Checked; Dotted; Floral; Geometric; Multiple scrap; Plaid; Print; Solid/plain; Striped; Other
Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:
Hand Piecing; Machine Piecing
Materials used to make the back:
Cotton
What color is the back of the quilt?
White
Describe the back:
Same fabric used throughout; Solid/plain
Materials used in the quilt binding:
Cotton
How is the binding made?
Hand sewn; Home cut; Machine sewn; Separate binding applied
What is the width of the binding (measure on the top only)?
less than a half inch
What kind of filling is used in the quilt?
Cotton
How are the layers held together?
Hand quilting
Color of thread used in the quilting:
White
Quilting designs used, overall motifs:
Outline
Describe the quilting designs used:
Outline quilting follows the design of the top with crossing lines. Stitches are medium to large size and uneven.
Features or notes about the quilt's appearance, materials, or construction:
The pattern is comprised of pieced 6-pointed stars made from multiple prints and white solid/plain hexagons set in-between.
Quilt top made by:
Aaron, Emily Dobratz
Quilted by:
Aaron, Emily Dobratz
Where the quilt was made, city:
Milwaukee
Where the quilt was made, county:
Milwaukee
Where the quilt was made, state:
Wisconsin (WI)
Where the quilt was made, country:
United States
How was this quilt acquired?
Inheritance
Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:
The owner inherited the quilt from her great-grandmother.
Describe anything about the history of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:
This quilt was a summer quilt the owner remembers sleeping under as a girl. She would look for the stars with similar fabrics, when she could not get to sleep.
The quilt was made to be used for:
Bedding, daily use
Quilt is presently used as:
Keepsake/memento
Where did the maker get their materials?
Sewing scraps
Describe the sources of the quilt's materials:
Fabric samples
Where did the maker find their pattern?
Public domain/traditional pattern
Where did the quiltmaker find the pattern for the quilting design on the quilt?
Public domain
Describe anything about the design of the quilt that wasn't already recorded in a previous field:
May have gotten materials from her husband (Louis Aaron) or her son-in-law (Maurice Van Engel). Mr. Aaron eventually managed a dry goods store and Mr. Van Engel was a salesman of whole sale commodities.
Ownership of this quilt is:
Private
Quiltmaker's maiden name:
Dobratz
Quiltmaker's gender:
Female
Quiltmaker's birth date:
1861
Quiltmaker's birthplace, country:
Germany
Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:
German
In which kind of environment did the quiltmaker live?
Urban
Quiltmaker's county:
Milwaukee
Quiltmaker's city:
Wauwatosa
Quiltmaker's state:
Wisconsin (WI)
Quiltmaker's country:
United States
Quiltmaker's father's name:
Dobratz, John
Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:
German
Quiltmaker's mother's name:
Dobratz, Ema
Quiltmaker's mother's ethnic/tribal background:
German
Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and /or partner's/partners' name(s):
Aaron, Louis
Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' ethnic/tribal background:
German
Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' occupation:
Retail merchant who eventually managed a dry goods store.
Number of children:
4
How many of the quiltmaker's children were girls?
3
How many of the quiltmaker's children were boys?
1
Any other notes or stories about the quiltmaker:
On her 90th birthday she gathered all of the women in the family and divided up her jewelry. The family always played the card game Hearts at her birthday parties. Mrs. Aaron emigrated from Germany to America in 1871. In 1883 she married her husband, Louis, who also was came from Germany. Together they raised 4 children. He died in 1922. She lived in Wauwatosa for a while as a widow. The 1930 census shows she eventually moved in with her daughter Frieda Van Engel and her son-in-law Maurice Van Engel. They lived in Milwaukee on N. 37th St. She lived to at least 96 years of age. Her daughter Freida died in Milwaukee in 1973. Information beyond that provided by the family was found on Ancestry.com and other online genealogy sources. Mrs. Aaron has other quilts documented in the Quilt Index under her name at #136, #137, #138, #139, #141 and #142.
Access and copyright information:
Restricted
Copyright holder:
Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts
Details
Cite this Quilt
Aaron, Emily Dobrat. Morning Star, Six Pointed Star. 1930-1949. From Wisconsin Quilt History Project, Wisconsin Quilt History Project. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=15-11-993. Accessed: 04/27/24